Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
6.8
3.9
Journals
Biomedicines
Special Issues
Autophagy, Apoptosis and Cancer: 2025 Update
share announcement

Autophagy, Apoptosis and Cancer: 2025 Update

A special issue of Biomedicines (ISSN 2227-9059). This special issue belongs to the section "Cancer Biology and Oncology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (28 February 2026) | Viewed by 7759

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Md Ataur Rahman

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Oncology, Karmanos Cancer Center, School of Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
Interests: autophagy; apoptosis; glioblastoma; bioactive natural products
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Autophagy and apoptosis are essential cellular mechanisms with significant consequences for cancer initiation, advancement, and treatment. Autophagy serves a dual function in cancer, functioning as a tumor suppressor in the first stages by eliminating damaged cellular components, while facilitating tumor survival in subsequent stages by boosting adaptation to stress. Apoptosis, the mechanism of programmed cell death, is precisely regulated in cancer, with its avoidance serving as a hallmark of carcinogenesis. This Special Issue seeks to offer current knowledge of these intricate pathways in cancer biology for 2025.

The interaction between autophagy and apoptosis is particularly crucial in aggressive malignancies such as glioblastoma, where therapeutic resistance and the tumor microenvironment, notably hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs), complicate standard treatments. This Special Issue's articles will examine new insights into these pathways, emphasizing their regulation under hypoxic conditions and their role in tumor adaptation and resistance.

The topic of discussion will encompass female fertility and ovarian cancer, elucidating the roles of autophagy and apoptosis in ovarian aging and cancer progression. The capacity of bioactive natural compounds to influence these pathways offers a promising opportunity for innovative therapeutics. The utilization of nanoparticle-based drug delivery methods to target autophagy and apoptosis pathways is advancing rapidly and will be a primary area of attention.

This Special Issue seeks submissions that investigate molecular pathways, therapeutic targets, and novel strategies in cancer treatment. Submissions of original research articles, complete reviews, and short communications concerning autophagy, apoptosis, glioblastoma, female fertility-associated malignancies, and advanced drug delivery methods are welcome. This Special Issue promises to advocate for interdisciplinary collaboration and facilitate advancements in cancer therapy through the combination of molecular biology, pharmacology, and clinical applications.

Dr. Md Ataur Rahman
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Biomedicines is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • autophagy
  • apoptosis
  • glioblastoma
  • hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs)
  • female fertility and ovarian cancer
  • nanoparticle-based drug delivery
  • bioactive natural products

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (3 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

Jump to: Review

15 pages, 24339 KB  
Article
MFAP2 Promotes Glioblastoma Malignant Phenotypes via Autophagy-Dependent Activation of Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling
by Peihao Yang, Demeng Liu, Jiyao Wang, Chao Liu and Yan Fang
Biomedicines 2026, 14(5), 1003; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines14051003 - 28 Apr 2026
Viewed by 631
Abstract
Background: Microfibrillar-associated protein 2 (MFAP2) is implicated in various malignancies, yet its specific role and molecular mechanisms in glioblastoma (GBM) progression remain poorly understood. Methods: We analyzed MFAP2 expression in human clinical specimens and murine models. Functional impacts were [...] Read more.
Background: Microfibrillar-associated protein 2 (MFAP2) is implicated in various malignancies, yet its specific role and molecular mechanisms in glioblastoma (GBM) progression remain poorly understood. Methods: We analyzed MFAP2 expression in human clinical specimens and murine models. Functional impacts were assessed in U251 cells via gain- and loss-of-function assays. Mechanistic studies explored the interplay between autophagic flux and Wnt/β-catenin signaling. An orthotopic GL261 syngeneic orthotopic model validated these findings in vivo. Results: MFAP2 was significantly overexpressed in GBM, correlating with poor patient prognosis. In vitro, MFAP2 markedly enhanced U251 viability, migration, and invasion while suppressing apoptosis. Mechanistically, MFAP2 triggered autophagic flux, subsequently activating the Wnt/β-catenin cascade and its downstream targets (MMP9, c-Myc, Cyclin D1). Pharmacological inhibition of either autophagy or Wnt signaling effectively abrogated these oncogenic phenotypes. In vivo, MFAP2 knockdown reduced tumor volume by 62.4% and suppressed the autophagy–Wnt axis. Conclusions: MFAP2 is an oncogenic regulator in glioblastoma models that links autophagy activity to Wnt/β-catenin signaling. Our findings support MFAP2 as a candidate prognostic biomarker and a potential therapeutic target; however, additional validation in larger molecularly annotated clinical cohorts and multiple GBM models is warranted. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Autophagy, Apoptosis and Cancer: 2025 Update)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

Review

Jump to: Research

18 pages, 1727 KB  
Review
Recent Update Targeting Autophagy-Apoptosis Crosstalk Using Bioactive Natural Products for Ovarian Cancer Treatment
by Abdel Halim Harrath, Maroua Jalouli, Mohammed Al-Zharani and Md Ataur Rahman
Biomedicines 2026, 14(1), 212; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines14010212 - 19 Jan 2026
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1313
Abstract
Ovarian cancer remains a top mortality contributor within gynecological cancers because patients receive diagnoses late in the disease course and conventional treatment resistance along with high recurrence rates cause poor outcomes. Aberrant regulation of autophagy and apoptosis has a critical role in the [...] Read more.
Ovarian cancer remains a top mortality contributor within gynecological cancers because patients receive diagnoses late in the disease course and conventional treatment resistance along with high recurrence rates cause poor outcomes. Aberrant regulation of autophagy and apoptosis has a critical role in the development, progression, chemoresistance, and immune escape from ovarian cancer. Recent evidence has demonstrated a complicated and dynamic crosstalk between autophagy and apoptosis, during which autophagy can act as a cytoprotective or cell death-promoting process depending on tumor stage and therapeutic context. In parallel, apoptosis functions as a tightly regulated form of programmed cell death that is essential for eliminating damaged or malignant cells and serves as a major tumor-suppressive mechanism in ovarian cancer. The PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway is the most active and clinically relevant pathway in the management of ovarian cancer as a master regulator of both autophagy and apoptosis, suppressing apoptotic cell death while promoting cytoprotective autophagy under chemotherapeutic stress. Bioactive natural products derived from plants, marine sources, and dietary intake have emerged as potential modulators of the autophagy-apoptosis crosstalk. Curcumin, resveratrol, quercetin, berberine, and epigallocatechin gallate are known to have the ability to restore apoptotic signaling, block pro-survival autophagy, and sensitize ovarian cancer cells to chemotherapy through the regulation of key pathways including PI3K/AKT/mTOR, AMPK, MAPK, p53, and Bcl-2 family proteins. In this review, we provide an updated understanding of the molecular mechanisms through which bioactive natural products modulate autophagy–apoptosis crosstalk in ovarian cancer. We also highlight the translational challenges, therapeutic potential, and future directions for the integration of natural product-based strategies in precision medicine for ovarian cancer. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Autophagy, Apoptosis and Cancer: 2025 Update)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

28 pages, 1675 KB  
Review
Mechanism of RCD and the Role of Different Death Signaling Pathways in Cancer
by Jianming Zhou, Ruotong Huang, Maidinai Aimaiti, Qingyu Zhou, Xiang Wu, Jiajun Zhu, Xiangyi Ma, Ke Qian, Qi Zhou, Lianlong Hu, Xiaoyi Yang, Yiting Tang, Yong Lin and Shuying Chen
Biomedicines 2025, 13(8), 1880; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines13081880 - 2 Aug 2025
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3111
Abstract
Cancer remains a significant global health challenge, with China being particularly affected because of its large population. Regulated cell death (RCD) mechanisms, including autophagy, apoptosis, necroptosis, pyroptosis, and ferroptosis, play complex roles in cancer development and progression. This review explores the dual roles [...] Read more.
Cancer remains a significant global health challenge, with China being particularly affected because of its large population. Regulated cell death (RCD) mechanisms, including autophagy, apoptosis, necroptosis, pyroptosis, and ferroptosis, play complex roles in cancer development and progression. This review explores the dual roles of autophagy and apoptosis in cancer, highlighting their tumor-suppressive and tumor-promoting functions. Autophagy can maintain genomic stability, induce apoptosis, and suppress protumor inflammation, but it may also support tumor cell survival and drug resistance. Apoptosis, while primarily tumor-suppressive, can paradoxically promote cancer progression in certain contexts. Other RCD mechanisms, such as necroptosis, pyroptosis, and ferroptosis, also exhibit dual roles in cancer, influencing tumor growth, metastasis, and immune responses. Understanding these mechanisms is crucial for developing targeted cancer therapies. This review provides insights into the intricate interplay between RCD mechanisms and cancer, emphasizing the need for context-dependent therapeutic strategies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Autophagy, Apoptosis and Cancer: 2025 Update)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-3
Back to TopTop